Crispy Grilled Sardines with Simple Ingredients

Crispy grilled sardines made with simple ingredients for fresh, bold flavor. Easy to cook and perfect for a taste of the coast.

What is a sardine?

A sardine is a small saltwater fish that is a popular delicacy around the world. In Portugal, sardines are grilled whole and served as sardinha assada.

You’ll also find canned sardines preserved in oil and water. Sometimes tomato sauce or mustard are also added to the can for added flavor.

Today, I’m going to share how I grill them. Once cooked, the meat flakes apart and the skin gets nice a crispy.

Technically, the head, tail and bones are edible, but I prefer to prep them by removing the head and tail for presentation purposes.

Get Recipe Ingredients

Heat Grill: Heat grill to high heat (500F) with a direct heat zone.
Clean Sardines: Use a knife to scrape away scales. Use kitchen shears to remove head, tail and fins. Use the scissors to cut open the belly. Remove the guts and rinse clean. Pat dry and place in a large bowl.
Season: Drizzle with the chile oil. Season heavily with flaky sea salt.
Grill: Cook for 2-4 minutes per side. They’re cooked through when they reach an internal temperature of 145F degrees.
Garnish: Remove the sardines from the grill. Just before serving, garnish with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Calories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 26gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 777mgPotassium: 405mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 341IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 435mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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What you’ll need

Whole Sardines: You can use fresh sardines or frozen sardines. If you choose frozen ones, be sure to thaw them first. Don’t use canned sardines for this recipe.
Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil are both fine.
Salt: Use kosher salt or sea salt.
Dry Red Chile Flakes
Lemon Wedges

See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.

How to grill sardines

Heat your grill to high heat (500F degrees) with a direct heat zone. You can use a charcoal grill, gas grill, pellet grill, indoor grill or grill pan.

Step 1: Clean the sardines

Using a pair of scissors or kitchen shears, remove the head and tail from the little fish. Place the scissors along the belly near the tail and slice toward the head.

Open up the gut and remove the innards. Rinse under cold water.

Step 2: How to season sardines

Sardines have a lot of flavor on their own, so all they need is oil and salt. Sprinkle in some dried chile flakes, if you like a little heat.

Gently stir that all together in a large bowl.

Step 3: Grill the sardines

Place the sardines on the hot grill grates in a single layer. Cook for 2-4 minutes per side, until they’re charred. Sardines are cooked through when they reach an internal temperature of 145F degrees.

How to serve grilled sardines

Transfer the grilled sardines to a plate or serving platter. Drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest. Add a pop of fresh herbs like fresh parsley, cilantro or mint. You can also hit them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Enjoy them while they’re fresh from the grill so the skin stays nice and crispy.

Storage

Store leftover grilled sardines in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.

GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips

Use fresh sardines, if you can find them
Remove the head and tail for presentation
Season simply with oil, salt and chili flakes
Grill to an internal temp of 145F
Enjoy right away, so they stay crispy

Frequently Asked Questions

What do sardines taste like?

The small fish has a stronger fish flavor than a mild white fish, but it’s not as fishy as anchovies.

Are sardines healthy?

Yes. Sardines are considered one of the healthiest fish you can eat because they’re packed with omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein, vitamins and minerals.

Can you eat sardine bones?

Yes. It’s generally safe to eat the bones in grilled sardines, but whether you want to depends on the size of the fish and your texture preference.

Small sardines have thin, soft bones that will usually crush easily when you bite them. In larger sardines , the spine and some rib bones can be a bit firmer. Many people pull the main spine out after cooking, then eat the rest of the fish with the small pin bones still inside.

What should you look for when buying sardines?

For this recipe, you want to use fresh or frozen sardines, not canned. Fresh is best if you can find them.

Look for fish with clear eyes and a bit of shimmer. Smaller sardines are generally sweeter and a little more mild.

What kind of dishes use sardines?

In Portugal, Spain and Greece, sardines are usually grilled and enjoyed whole.
In Italy, Japan and the Philippines, sardines are incorporated into pasta and rice dishes. In Morocco, you’ll find sardine meatballs served in spicy tomato sauce.

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